


Amidst The Flames Of Destruction

by Doylebaby



Category: Actor RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 15:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doylebaby/pseuds/Doylebaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When returning home, a devastating sight greets Orlando</p>
            </blockquote>





	Amidst The Flames Of Destruction

**Amidst The Flames Of Destruction**

The dark night sky glowed orange from the blazing fires on the ground.

The sound of pounding feet could be heard above the high wailing of sirens as they raced through what was left of the streets. 

As he came close to what was once his home, his feet stutter-stepped, stumbled and came to a halt. A soundless ‘no’ fell from trembling lips at the sight of the devastation the bomb had left behind.

Their street was gone, their house… on fire…

People rushed by, caught in their own misery, while he stood there, breathing harshly, looking at his world going up in flames.

The chaos of ambulances, fire trucks and paramedics tending to the wounded, blocked the area in front of the blaze.   
People were searching for loved ones or watching in a daze, unable to take in what had happened.

Orlando felt just as dazed. He had only been gone for an hour. He’d left Sean reading his newspaper and now…

He looked around in desperation. Maybe… just maybe his lover had been able to get out in time? 

He shook his head, unable to kid himself. 

There hadn’t been any sirens – no warning at all to those on the ground as the bombers stealthily flew in, dropped their deadly charge and left just as furtively. 

With his hurt leg there was no way Sean could have fled the house in time, no chance of getting himself to safety.

If only Orlando had been at home, together they would have had a chance of getting out.

Unable to stand there and do nothing, Orlando pushed forward through the milling crowd. What if Sean was lying somewhere, trapped, hurt, unable to yell for help…  
He had to get inside and make sure…   
Orlando stepped forward with determination. Immediately he was grabbed and pulled back. 

“You can’t go in there, mate.” 

Flames were consuming everything but Orlando scarcely noticed. All he could think of was that Sean needed to be rescued. He struggled against the hands holding him firmly. “You don’t understand, my… partner, he’s still inside! I have to get him out!” 

Orlando tried to pull free and move forward again.

The hands holding him tightened their grip, refusing to let him go. “You can’t go in.” The man’s voice lowered in compassion. “No one will have survived this, I’m sorry.”

Orlando blinked his stinging eyes as reality slowly sank in.

The scorching heat of the fire, still burning fiercely, the soot on the fire fighters faces as they tried to contain it, knowing they were fighting a losing battle all told the same tale – nothing and no one could possibly have survived in this deadly inferno. 

Devastation was all around him, but his own pain was overwhelming.   
The thought of Sean still being inside, unable to escape the flames, made Orlando feel physically ill and he collapsed to his knees, watching in despair as the fire destroyed his love and his life. 

 

The backdoor of a nearby ambulance suddenly flew open rather violently and amidst all the noise – the screams and shouts, the roaring flames and the sound of walls giving way and tumbling down, there was a loud, annoyed voice. 

“I’m bloody well _not_ going to hospital, I’ve only banged me head! This…” A man with a bandage around his head was clambering out of the ambulance using a cane and he slapped his left leg, “… is an old war wound and you can do naught about it. Now go and tend to someone who needs it!”

Orlando slowly turned his head, not believing what he was hearing, _who_ he was hearing.

“Sean?” It came out little more than a whisper. His voice didn’t seem to be working, and neither were his legs, because he couldn’t get up.

Still irritated by the overly-concerned paramedic, Sean limped away from the ambulance, and then he spotted Orlando, looking up at him with a deathly pale face and wonder in his eyes, kneeling on the with rubble covered ground.

“Orlando, lad?” As fast as his leg would allow him, Sean hobbled over to his lover.

Orlando pointed at the now smouldering ruins of their home. “I thought… Still inside.” He shrugged helplessly as silent tears ran down his face. “I can’t seem to get up,” he said; his voice reflecting the shock he was feeling at seeing his lover alive and well after knowing he couldn’t possibly have survived the blast.

“Oh luv.” Sean could only imagine how Orlando must have felt coming home to this catastrophic sight. Moving with painstaking care, he lowered himself to the ground and took Orlando in his arms. 

“I thought you were gone,” Orlando murmured brokenly as he rested his head against Sean’s shoulder. 

“I would’ve been if it weren’t for that bloody cat chasing the birds again.” Sean grunted, clearly in pain kneeling like he was. 

Orlando finally managed to get himself up on shaky legs and then helped Sean up. “I’ll kiss that cat when we see him again.” 

He gave Sean a small smile and amidst the flames of destruction they clung together, realizing they had come far too close to losing each other.

The End


End file.
